A Gentle God
by Aiko Isari
Summary: Nemu, Ichika, and Kazui are all powerful little children, growing up with the peace of the last ten years. But when a family friend is hospitalized, the peace breaks and these children have to look at the cost of peacetime, and what it takes to push forward with ambition.
1. Chapter 1

Part One: At the Close

Kurosaki Kazui was a perfectly normal boy.

"Get back here!"

He went to school, did all of his chores, got good grades-

"I swear to the deity of rabbits and edible meals that if you don't come here right now-"

He was good for his parents and uncles and aunts too. Yep, he was the epitome of a perfect child…

Except in the company of two very different girls.

A wooden sword swung and smacked into the back of his head, causing him to roll forward and smack into a light pole that had probably seen better days. Thankfully it didn't hurt that much, but ow.

"Ichika!" The third shout was unnecessarily loud, even from this distance. "Ichika-san, please return here at once! You are causing a ruckus!"

"I'm causin' a ruckus?" The speaker's red hair blew in the force of her voice. "You're the one shouting in the middle of the road like a nutter!"

"Yes, but you are speaking of violence without due cause-"

The redhead speaker, who was perched upon a lamp post as was per typical of shinigami of the Soul Society for whatever reason (Kazui himself did not understand why, but he had always assumed it was the best way to see things they could not from the ground.), waved her zanpakuto for a moment like a magic wand before pointing it at Kazui himself.

"There is a cause!" she declared and for a moment, Kazui thought he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. How humiliating would that be? To die at the age of nine to a fellow shinigami? His father would be so embarrassed. His mother would probably cry. And then he would get a gigai. Argh, going to school in a gigai sounded awful. "He has stolen my mother's carefully made bento and devoured it! That's a good enough cause for me!"

"But for all the destruction you might leave in your wake-" The fact that they could still even hear Nemuri from wherever they had left her behind should have been a bigger cause for concern than the death threat but well…

"Your mother's cooking is really good, Ichika, I'm sorry!" He wailed as the girl leaped down, thankfully without her z _anpakuto_ in hand as she crashed into him with a combination of her knees and a bokken. "Owowowowowow!"

And thus Kurosaki Kazui died.

Well, not really. He just passed out, leaving Ichika shaking his unconscious body and demanding the return of her precious lunch, all while Nemuri ran up, black hair floating in the non-existent breeze and trying to figure out how to separate the two of them and not lose her fingers.

All in all, Kazui decided when he woke up, it was a perfectly normal day.

Then of course came the high-pitched scream because Ichika had left her gigai in a likely conspicuous spot, but again, that was also normal.

Despite the occasional bodily harm, he rather hoped these days would continue on forever.

… Okay everyone, we know what happens when people think that, don't we?

* * *

Urahara had a lot of free time on his hands for someone who was constantly running a shop. Yoruichi knew this because she tended to be there, the ever so unobtrusive cat, mostly out of an urge to stay as far away from Soi Fon's insistence she 'return to Soul Society with her head held high' as possible. I mean, she still was a talking cat but so long as she meowed in the right places, casual customers at most would scratch her behind the ears and ask questions of the shopkeeper about how old she was.

Only Ururu gave the proper answers to customer questions. But then, of course she would. She understood. And now that she was older, she was more able to not cower from those words. A good sign, a good many years of growth.

Yoruichi peeked an eye open to look at her. "Aren't you bored?" she asked. "Spending your summer break days at this old shop?"

Ururu didn't jump. Rather, she smiled a little and shook her head. "And leave Urahara-san away from his experiments too long? Out of the question. It earns a little money as well, so I'm perfectly fine with this."

Yoruichi flicked her tail. "You just don't want to let Jinta up here."

A small, anxious pause. "Well," Ururu began, coughing a little. "He still doesn't have a head for numbers."

Yoruichi snorted. "Indeed he does not." Not for the first time, she had to wonder if Kisuke had any real advantage from taking in these abandoned children, or if he was actually trying to be altruistic.

She let out a snort that sounded like a sneeze. Not likely.

"Bless you."

"Thank you. Excuse me." Yoruichi sat up and stretched, tail flicking at an invisible fly. "I ought to go see if he's blown anything up down there. Just because we haven't heard anything…"

"I can do it," Ururu offered a little too quickly.

Yoruichi snorted. "It's fine, he listens to me. Sometimes."

Ururu nodded with gratitude. She really didn't like getting Kisuke out of his workshop. She admittedly found it easier to just slide it into the room and leave it until the next day. She watched Yoruichi go, then returned her gaze steadily to the front. It wasn't much longer until Jinta got back. Then it would be time for her lunch break.

As she thought this, her spine tingled. Ururu stood slowly, socks slumping on her feet. Something was… coming.

Black fabric flitted across the open doorway and Ururu spoke up slowly. "Yachiru-san?" She raised her fists and stepped forward. "What are you doing here?" Her voice wavered before slowing into a dull deadpan. "You shouldn't be here… ah."

Her purple eyes went wide. "I see. You're not Yachiru-san."

There was a very loud crash. Then everything was quiet once more.

* * *

Usually by the time Kazui got home from school or playing (if he could call running for his life playing, which the boy did) with his friends, the clinic had calmed down. Despite being one of the few (if not only) medical centers in the small town, people infinitely preferred going somewhere else than sticking to the eccentric old man that had still ran the place, especially with Uncle Uryu (which he always remembered to never call him that in public) running his own. Of course, emergencies were emergencies but still. The point was made.

Instead, he came home, Ichika and Nemu in tow, and found a rush of white coats and machinery. Kazui could only observe the scene in confusion for a moment, blinking, before he turned back to his friends.

"I think we should go through the side," he stage-whispered, to avoid distracting the frantic looking staff.

Ichika scowled at him in irritation. "Aw gee, ya think?" She looked around the room and Kazui touched her arm as carefully as he could. He really didn't want to catch her unconscious gigai for the few seconds it would take Soul Mod candy to take effect. Most of his grandpa's co-workers were ordinary humans, if somewhat spiritually inclined. That would be tough to explain away, especially if they saw it. Ichika paused, weighing her options, before she nodded.

Nemu tiptoed around, leading the way into the side door. She was swaying with each step, shaking her head. "There's a whole lot of reiatsu in there." She tilted her head a bit, sniffing again. "I think we know them."

"Sniffing reiatsu's ruddeee, Nemu-chi," Kazui told her with a grin too big for his jaw. "We can just ask mom and dad anyway."

Nemu settled back as they walked. "I guess…" She paused at the sight of fluttering black wings around her head. "Mmm… Ichika, I think we're being HAILED!"

"Ssh!" Ichika used her free hand to knock on Nemu's shoulder. "We're supposed to be being quiet." Nemu blushed but kept her mouth shut all the way into the house, hell butterflies fluttering along after.

"I'm home!" Kazui called as they stepped inside, and the other two echoed their own polite greetings. There were a couple of moments of quiet, which Kazui had kind of expected before his father ducked under the doorway and waved.

"Hey." Kurosaki Ichigo, gruff as ever, made his way over to them. "Sorry, would have been in here sooner. We've got a bit of a situation taking up your mom's hands."

Ichika muttered something that made Nemu pinch her wrist. Kazui smiled as fast as he could, partially to cover them and partially to keep the frown on his dad's face shrinking a little. "What's going on?"

His father scratched his head. "Well. Someone's really banged up Ururu-chan, according to Yoruichi-san. And we're not sure what, but since we haven't had the captains knocking down our doors yet, it can't be incredibly out of control. So we'll be working to stop it at its source, when she wakes up."

Kazui nodded. Well, that didn't seem so bad.

The fact that the hell butterflies were still around kind of ruined that idea but it was the thought that counted, right?

* * *

 _ **A/N:** _Hi? This is kinda my first real full _Bleach_ fic. _Bleach_ and I have some mixed feelings to say the least. However, I thought the only way to combat those feelings was to take on the canon and see what I could do with it. Admittedly, I'm open to ideas on just about anything considering we are post-canon officially now. The only exception is shipping. I don't really want to fall into a shipping war. I didn't have many feelings on them.

Anyway, please read and review! It really helps me out as a writer! Especially since I have limited understanding of post-canon. I've researched beforehand what I'm looking for but it's been a while since I've read the manga, so don't hesitate to critique me. See you later!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Part Two: The People We Never Met**_

After all these years, after everything this poor place has gone through, Karakura Town continued its lazy glide through existence. If you asked any real long-time residents, it would be around until the end of the universe. A very amusing thought. Most of its long time residents would argue maybe a supernatural force was keeping the place alive and put together. They wouldn't be completely wrong in that regard.

The observer couldn't help but think it was a lot like them. It would never have any feelings about it for itself, this city, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. What would happen if a city was _sentient_? Hauntings and hollows, that's what, and then how would she get away with nicking stale pastries? There would be more _Shinigami_ running around than fish in the sea!

No, things were fine exactly the way they were.

Was a shame about that girl though. She hadn't quite meant to hit her that hard. She had only meant to talk but a problem of trying to talk between dimensions was that nothing really worked right? And she had scared that person for some reason. Oh well, she would recognize her the next time and be more careful. They were related to the Soul Society, after all. They would know them soon.

She smiled to herself and hopped off of her post.

* * *

Kazui waved the hell butterflies goodbye because he knew his friends couldn't see. When he knew he couldn't be _heard_ anymore, his shoulders sagged and he let out a relieved sigh. He was almost glad they were being called in for a debriefing. That was a pretty useless debriefing because they knew the basic situation, but knowing they would be stuck wandering the streets without him was a bit of a relief. He was good, dad even said he was powerful like his mom and dad before him, but he wasn't a fighting person. He ran.

Ichika and Nemuri were strong. They would be fine.

Probably.

He settled back to do his homework and pretended he wouldn't be a little bit jealous of what could happen.

By the time that Kazui finished his work, the noise and hubbub over Ururu-san's hospitalization had died down, barring the clear noises of Jinta-san from the other side of the wall and the eventual piledrive that became his face. This was also mixed with the surprising patience of Grandpa Isshin. (He was kind of scary when a medical professional, Kazui wasn't going to pretend he wasn't.) Everyone was used to Jinta though.

Still, he couldn't help but tiptoe around the hallway down the stairs. His aunts weren't home yet, but his mother's cooking smelled plainer than usual (for her Thursday night specials) and that was usually not good. That usually meant fear. It was the most obvious tell that his mother had.

He turned the corner into the small kitchen area. "Mom?"

Kurosaki Orihime twitched but turned to look at him like everything was fine and dandy. She liked doing that. He never believed her. "I was just about to call you," she said with a smile. "Dinner's just about done! Broccoli and sardines!"

Kazui blinked. "Ooh…" Well, she couldn't be that bad if there were sardines involved. Though broccoli… "Was there a sale?" He busied himself with his chair, still a bit too short to fit in it correctly.

"Yep! Your dad got a good few scallions and things too. He'll be down in a couple of minutes."

"Mm." She glanced at her son and her face softened, curling with the weight of her smile. "Everything's okay, Kazui. The adults have it handled."

"Didn't everyone tell us something similar and we have to take care of it anyway?" Kazui perked up to see his father again, temporary medical license dangling from his neck. He waved.

His mother laughed and there was a knowing gleam in her eyes that ruined the years in her face. "That's pretty true, yes. You would know that better than me."

"Hey." His father's eyes narrowed, pretending to be annoyed. "I resent that."

"Not since I'm saying it."

Kazui laughed, smiling from ear to ear. Surely, if his family could laugh and joke like this, the peace of the world could continue and he didn't have to go anywhere.

* * *

Nemu once again, silently this time, thanked Mayuri-sama from the bottom of her heart.

Why? The answer is simple: no night shift duty.

Most children would not be allowed to take night shift to begin with. But age was more or less irrelevant to the Soul Society. So it could have been granted to her and Ichika, at least until adult shinigami were able to report in tomorrow afternoon. She did not want that. The dark, for whatever reason, still frightened her.

"Tsk."

The sound near her ear would have made her wilt if done to her face, but thankfully, it wasn't directed at her at all.

"What the heck was the point of even callin' us if we aren't even allowed to do anything?!"

Nemuri only knew of Ichika's parents from as they were now, rapid fire adults with big hearts and solemn swords (somewhat), but to say the girl resembled them at the height of her temper was the same as saying the Caterpillar enjoyed a good smoke. And that was fine. "To be forewarned is forearmed, Ichika-chan," she said, in an attempt to placate her friend.

Lucky for her it worked. Ichika deflated like the remnants of a beach ball. "I guess you're right. Still! Oughta make up their minds! Mom and Dad were in training as kids!"

Nemuri agreed, at least about that former part. Throwing kids into powerful positions but then treating them without the respect of that power only created belligerence, at least if her studies had anything to go by. She was about to say so when something flew above their heads meters ahead. In a desperate bid not to shout, she yanked on Ichika's sleeve from behind. Ichika yelped and almost fell. Nemu hushed her with a finger pressed to her lips. She pointed. The thing that had passed was hovering close to the edge of the roof of a building. From here, it didn't have any visible physical features, but that didn't mean anything right now, did it.

"Do you remember if they described the attacker like that?" Ichika hissed. The creature seemed to start, but Ichika had managed to pull them out of an easier line of sight. They were the only shinigami on the street. If they could be seen, they would be sitting ducks. "Small, obscuring?"

"No…" Nemuri admitted. "We should run."

Ichika twitched, as if ready to defy instinct. But by the time they sent a hell butterfly, people would get hurt. Or they would be dead. She didn't want to imagine her parents if she died. Biting her tongue, literally, she nodded. The two of them slowly began to increase their speed, walking faster and faster until they were sprinting down the streets, black blurs in the dark.

Unfortunately, their mark was either a lot faster or a lot better than them in general (which didn't take much, they were _ten_ ) because thin, pale fingers and a pair of heavy palms knocked right into the back of their heads, slamming them into the ground.

"Hello," their attacker chirped, a voice so much like a young girl's that Nemuri almost relaxed. Then Ichika slapped the ground with her hands, _kido_ flowing from her mouth like a steady stream until her head was smashed against the pavement. "Hey, interrupting is rude, you know? You're a kid like me, you need some better manners."

Ichika coughed and spat, somehow having avoided not biting her tongue. Thankfully, she didn't try to speak. The child smiled in triumph.

"Good job."

Nemuri froze with fear. Too fast, too soon. And everyone had departed, so no one would come and save them. Either they were going to die right here, or they had to just save themselves. But how could they do that? Even with the powers of her predecessor, this was too much of an unknown enemy.

Were they going to die here?


End file.
